When voters in Mahoning County go to the polls next week, they could have a say in their future utility bills.No fewer than 19 communities will decide on local issues on electric or natural gas aggregation -- or both -- as voters in Canfield and Poland will. Aggregation allows cities, villages and townships to lock in utility rates for all their residents and businesses.
Several years ago, voters in Austintown became one of the first in the area to test out the idea, approving aggregation for natural gas for three years.
Since then, a number other communities including Youngstown, Boardman and all the townships in Trumbull County have approved utility aggregation measures. Austintown Township Trustee Lisa Oles says the first year of Austintown's contract did see some savings, but not so much in the second year.
"The market fluctuates a lot, so its a lot like playing the stock market," she said. "That's where you rely on your broker's expertise."
All the same, Austintown will be deciding an electric aggregation issue next week, one Oles says will bring lower rates.
With so many communities having utility measures on their ballots, residents will need to check with their local administrations to learn specifics about the deals in their areas. In Canfield, residents were sent letters explaining the proposals.
Now some might wonder what's in this for the utility companies?
We're told the same legislation permitting aggregation also could allow competing companies to offer services in communities now covered by someone else. For example, AEP, which provides electric service in southeastern Ohio, might try to offer rates in areas now served by First Energy.
That might be enough to convince the utility companies to offer good rates over a number of years to guarantee their own supply of customers into the future.
